Chapter 1: Intro to INDUSTRIAL

ORGANIZATIONAL
Psychology
 I/O PSYCHOLOGY
a branch of psychology that
applies the principles of
psychology in the workplace
to enhance the dignity
and performance of
human beings and the
organizations they work
in, by advancing the science and
knowledge of
human behavior.
Rucci, 2008
WHY?
 People
make the
organiza-
tion
Work 8 hours
Commute 1 hour
Watch TV 3 hours
Sleep 8 hours
Prepare/
Eat Meals 2 hours
Others 2 hours
Adulthood
- longest stage for
most people
- Generativity
(production of
work, creation
of news things &
ideas)
What do
you do?
 Analyzing jobs
Recruiting applicants
Selecting employees
Determining salary levels
Training employees
Evaluating employee performance

INDUSTRIAL/PERS NNEL PSYCHOLOGY

ORGANIZATIONAL
PSYCHOLOGY
Concerned with issues of:
leadership
job satisfaction
employee motivation
organizational
communication
conflict management
organizational change
group processes
INDUSTRIAL
procedural/
technical ORGANIZA-
TIONAL
affects employees at
an individual level relational

policies, procedures, affects employees

policies, systems at a collective level

factors that optimize

employee
performance
APPLICATIONS
OF I/O PSYCHOLOGY
HR DEVELOPMENT:
People Management

ORGANIZATIONAL
BEHAVIOR:
Social influences in the
workplace
VOCATIONAL/CAREER
GUIDANCE:
Industrial Counseling

INDUSTRIAL
RELATIONS:
employee-employer
relationship issues
HUMAN FACTORS/ERGONOMICS
Peoples efficiency in relation
to work environment (Ergonomics)
Workplace design
Human-machine interaction
Physical fatigue & stress
HISTORY
OF I/O PSYCHOLOGY
Early 1900s
1903: The Theory of Advertising by
Walter Dill Scott

1910: Psychology and Industrial

Efficiency by Hugo Munsterberg,
selection of employees & use of
Psychological Tests

1911: Increasing Human Efficiency in

Business by W.D. Scott
World War I
Psychologists were employed to
test recruits and then place them
in appropriate positions

Alpha: for those who could read

Beta: for those who could not

John B. Watson developed perceptual

& motor tests for potential pilots

I/O Psychologists, esp Henry Gantt, were

responsible for increasing the efficiency with which cargo ships
were built, repaired and loaded
Gilbreths

Frank Gilbreth & Lillian Moller Gilbreth

Among the first scientists to to improve

productivity and reduce fatigue by
studying the motions used by workers
Hawthorne Studies
Hawthorne Plant of the Western Electric Company

Designed to investigate issues such as the effects of lighting

levels, work schedules, wages, temperature and rest breaks
on employee performance

Employees changed their behavior and became more

productive because they were being studied and received
attention from their managers

Focus on human relations in the workplace

and to explore the effects of employee attitudes
1960s
passage of several major pieces of civil rights legislation,
focused the attention of HR professionals on developing fair
selection techniques

Use of sensitivity training and T-groups (laboratory training)

for managers

1970s
Understanding of many organizational psychology issues
involving employee satisfaction & motivation

Development of many theories about employee behavior

in the organizations
1980s 1990s
increase use of fairly sophisticated statistical techniques and
methods of analysis

application of Cognitive Psychology in the industry

increased interest in the effects of work on family life and

leisure activities

Renewed interest in developing methods to test employees:

cognitive ability tests, personality tests, biodata and
structured interviews

Organizational downsizing, diversity and gender issues,

increased interest on the effects of stress, organizational
development interventions such as TQM, reengineering,
employee empowerment
 Advances
in
Technology
Demographic
Changes &
Increase in
Diversity
Work-Life
Balance?
Work-Life
Merge?
PHILIPPINE
ORGANIZATIONS